Fence-post.



M. MURRAY.

FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1912.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

INVENTOR Z].

WITNESSES MIL'IQN MURRAY, 01: WILLIAMS WHARF, VIRGINIA. I

FENCE-POST,

Specification Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

Application filed April 24, 1912. Serial No. 692,910.

1'6 all *w/wm it may concern Be it known that I, MILTON MURRAY, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Williams Wharf, .in ;th e county of Mathews and State of Virginia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of

- which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This .invention relates to fence posts and the principal object of .the invention is to provide an improved type of wire engaging means which will connect the wire with the post at any point, and which may be readily connected with the post. It should also be noted that if by any chance the wire engaging means should slip loose after the fence has been constructed that it will remain on the wire and will not drop to the ground.

The principal advantage in this connector is that it holds the wire under a tension at all times so that there is no danger of the wire slipping out of position, this being absolutely necessary since no other securing means is used, and therefore, if the wire were not held under tension, the whole fence might slip down the post.

This invention is illustrated in the ac-' slightly -modified form df wire securing means. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the wire se-,

curing means shown in Fig; 4.

In the drawings it will e seen that this 0st is formed from sheet m tal which has its major portion rolled to orm thesubstantially cylindrical body portion 10 hav ing the longitudinally extending slot 11 formed therein by the edges of the strip ofmetal being left in spaced relation. It is, of course, obvious that, this major portion of the post may be made of any shape desired, although the shapes shown in Figs. 2 and4 are the preferred forms. The lower portion of the post is left flat to form the base 12 which is provided with the tapered end portion 11 to assist in driving the post into the ground. Anchor plates 14: which are preferably provided with the tapered lower portions 15 have their flanges 16 secured to the base 12 of the post, the tapered portions of the anchor plates and lower end portion 13 of the base being brought together to form a penetrating point for the post. It will thus be seen that it is not necessary to dig post-holes when using these posts since the post can be set up in the desired position, and then driven into the ground. If .desired, the anchor plates at the corners of the fence may be straight throughout their length, thus giving the post a firmer sup.- port. It should be noted that the lower portion of the post mer es into the base, thus forming a substantia ly conical lower portion which compacts the dirt as the post is driven into the ground thus causing the post to be very firmly embedded and preventin the post from being drawn out of vertica position. After the posts have been driven into the ground, the wires 24: are connected with the posts by means of the improved se-' curing device which forms part of this invention. This attaching means canbe used for securing fences which are formed from straight wires, twisted wires, or barb Wires or may be used in connecting ale of the wire-mesh-type, the connectin means being mounted upon the longitudina ly extendin' wires. The connecting devices are forme from resilient wires which are bent to form a centrally .located wire engaging pocket from which there extends the coiled arms which engage the post, at each side of. the slot in the post. These wire engaging -de'-' vices arebetter illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, and referring to these figures, it will'b'e-seen that the wire is bent at ploints adjacent the. center and brought toget er in overlapping relation to form the pocket 25, the outer wa of which is crimped to form the seat'26 i'n which the wire is adapted to fit The fact that the connecting, device is formedfrom spring metal holds the overhanging portions to-gether so that if the device were slip loose from the post, it would hang to the wire and thus be prevented from getting loose. Thefarms 27 which extend-from the pocket 25 are coiled to form the spring portions of the connecting device and have their .105

end" portions bent to form. the books 28.

These hooks may be either bent outwardly as shown in Fig. 2 or may be bent inwardly as shown in Fig. 4, and are intended to be engaged by a pair of pincers when connecting the device with the post. If they are bent outwardly as shown in Fig. 2 they engage the post at each side of the slot so that the device is morofirmly connected with the post, thus making it more diliicult for the device to slip loose.

When connecting the wires with the post, the connecting devices are slipped upon the wire so that the wire is positioned in the pocket 2 5,, and the connecting device is then turned and passed through the slot formed in the post. After the connecting device has been inserted through the slot, the hooks 28 are grasped by a. suitable pair of pincers and the arms compressed so that. the connecting device may be turned to the position shown, witl LiG hooks contacting with the post at each side of the slot as shown in Fig. 2, or with the arms in contact with the inner face of the post adjacent the slot. in order to turn the connecting device to this position, itwill be necessary that the arms be compressed so that thc wire is held tightly in the seat 26, and thus placed under a tcnsion, the tension being constantly maintained by the resilient arms. This causes the wire to be tightly gripped between the pocket 25, and the edges of the post, thus causing the edges of the post to bend the wire slightly, and thus securely holding the wire against any slipping. It should be noted that when it. is desired to replace the wire in a fence, where a series of wires are used to form the fence that it is not necessary to release the wires above the broken one in order to re move the broken wire, but it is simply necessary to turn the securing device so that it is out of engagement with the post, and then draw it through the slot, thus releasing the wire from the post.

\Vhat is claimed is:

r 1. in combination with a hollow fence post provided with a vertical. slot, of a spring wire engaging means positioned within thc post in spaced relation thereto and having its end portions engaging the post near the side edges of the slot, the intermediate portion being adapted to engage a wire for holding the wire in firm engagement with the post.

2, I combination with a hollow fence post, provided with a verti al sl( t, of resilient wire engaging means positioned within said post in spacedrelation thereto and having one portion extending through the slot formed thercin to engage a wire to yieldably connect the wire with said post.

3. in combination with a hollow fence postdniving a crtical slot formed therein, of wire engaging means formed from a single length of resilient material bent to form a wire engagingpocket having arms extending therefrom, said wire engaging means being positioned within said post in spaced relation, thereto, and said arms being coiled to fornrresilient members engaging the post adjacent said slot whereby the wire engaging means may be inserted throughthe slot; and turned to an operative position. v i

4. A wire engaging means adapted to be connected with a hollow post. having an opening formed in its wall comprising a strip of resilient material bent to form a wire engaging member having resilient arms extending therefrom, said arms being adaptcd to engage the fence post adjacent the opening formed therein and the remaining portion of the wire engaging member being in spaced. relation to the post.

5. A wire engaging device adapted to be used in connection with a hollow post hav-- ing a slot formed in. its wall, said wire engaging device formed from a strip of resilient. material bent at points adjacent its center to form a bridge and having arms extending therefrom in an overlapping relation to form a wire receiving pocket, the end portions of said arms being separated and coiled to 't'orm spring members adapted to engage the post adjacent the slot formed therein.

(3. A wire securing device adapted to be used in combination with a hollow post hav ing a slot formed therein, said wire on aging device being formed from a strip 0 resilient material bent to form a wire receiving pocket, having arms extending therefrom, said arms forming spring members and having their end portions bent to form hooks whereby said arms may be bent to permit said wire engaging device to be insorted through said slot and turned to grip the post adjacent the slot. formed therein.

7. A fence post comprising a. hollow cylindrical body portion having a vertical slot formed therein and removable resilient wire engaging means 'iositioned within said post and extending through said slot to engage a wire and having its end portions contact-' ing with said post and its remaining portions positioned in spaced relation to the post. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILTON MURRAY.

\Yitnesses THOMAS A. LESTER,

JOHN J. \VILMAR'HI. 

